Louis Theroux's Altered States – BBC2

(Image credit: BBC)

Louis Theroux reports on euthanasia in California, investigating the moral and legal issues surrounding taking your own life as his series Altered States continues on BBC2

In seven American states it’s legal to take your own life, as long as you are mentally capable of making the decision and physically able to administer your own lethal dose.

In the second of his new three-part series, Louis Theroux meets people who want to die, their families and a group called the Final Exit Network who help people end it all.

Louis Theroux's Altered States - shows cancer patient Gus from California wanted to put his suffering to an end — Cancer patient Gus from California wanted to put his suffering to an end

Gus, 74, has terminal cancer and wants to control how he goes, with his loving family around him (Gus's wife and daughter, Raeanna and Lilian, pictured above), while mum-of-two Laurie is just 47, but has terminal cancer and also wants to die on her own terms.

It’s a hugely difficult and emotional subject, which is hard to watch at times.

TV Times rating: ****

As TV Times Highlights Editor I get to hear about all the latest TV shows coming soon. Here at TVT HQ we are in the privileged position of selecting the best programmes from across all the channels and streaming platforms. Our mission is to make it easier for our readers to decide what to watch - and give them lots of choice of genres - all the latest shows, plus some nostalgic choices we call hidden gems, too. My career began with a postgraduate degree in periodical journalism (ahem, yes old school!) in 1991 and I’ve worked in TV media since 2000.